Car Safety Features

The Most Desired Features

To Look For In A New car

by Bryan MacMurray

Have you given any thought to the car safety features that will keep your family secure? As a good parent, you’re committed to keeping your family safe at home. You installed childproofing gadgets around the house and maybe a home-security alarm system. But, if you’re like many Americans, your family spends more time together in the car than you do anywhere other than home. You want to make sure your family is as safe as possible when on the road too.

Thankfully, auto industry experts are answering road hazards with ever more innovative car safety features proven to save lives, offering diligent parents some level of security. Whether your kids are still in diapers or they are about to take the wheel, these new car safety features will give you peace of mind knowing you’re doing what you can to keep your family out of harm’s way.

Did you know...

It is estimated that a motorist will curse 32,000 times in their life while operating a car or truck.

What You Need To Know About Car Safety

Adaptive Cruise Control

It’s nice to be able to rely on cruise control, particularly during longer drives. With traditional cruise settings though, you can be in trouble before you know it if a driver ahead of you suddenly hits the breaks. Conversely, if your vehicle has adaptive cruise control (ACC), it will automatically adjust your speed based on what’s in front of you, helping you maintain a safe distance from the car ahead.

Backup Cameras

Whether backing out of your own driveway or out of a store parking space, rear visibility is essential to safety. Small children, animals, and even short-stature adults can be hard to spot, especially if you drive a truck, SUV, or crossover vehicle. Backing up slowly is always wise, but even the most attentive driver has blind spots when going in reverse. Backup cameras show the driver a live view of what’s behind the vehicle, significantly decreasing the chances of a mishap. So effective are backup cameras, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) will require all new cars to have them by May 1, 2018.

Did you know...

The majority of car accidents occur within 3 miles of the driver’s home.

Lane Assist and Lane Departure Warnings

Inclement weather and night driving can make it hard to see lane boundaries. So can driving while you’re preoccupied, distracted, or tired. With a Lane Departure Warning (LDW) system, however, your vehicle will alert you if you begin to drift. In addition to LDWs, some manufacturers offer a Lane Assist or Lane Keeping option that doesn’t just warn you to correct your position, but actually corrects it for you if you don’t do so yourself.

Did you know...

Lane Assist and Lane Departure Warnings reduce fatalities in lane departure-associated head-on crashes by as much as 46%

Front Crash Warnings

Without a front-collision warning (FCW) system, you have to guess the distance between vehicles, how fast the car ahead of you is moving, and when you should slow down to avoid getting too close. With a FCW, your car warns you when you’re getting too close to the vehicle in front. The only thing an FCW won’t do is pump the breaks. For that, you’ll need to look into another car safety feature — an auto-breaking option, which decreases the chances of rear-end collisions by as much as 40%.

Did you know...

Front crash warning systems cut accidents by 23%.

Side-impact Airbags

Side-impact accidents are common, and not just at intersections or in parking lots. They often happen on multi-lane roads, too. Finally, with decades of data proving their efficiency, front airbags are now standard equipment in new vehicles. Side-impact bags still aren’t standard though, especially in the front seat. As a result, without side-impact bags, major auto accident carries a 30 to 50% higher risk of serious injury or worse in a car, truck, or SUV. With this in mind, side bags in the front and back seats are options to seriously consider. Remember side bags protect only the torso, while curtain airbags (covering the windows) protect the head and neck.

Did you know...

Side airbags are reducing driver deaths by an estimated 37%.

Find The Guaranteed Best Price on the 2017 TOP SAFETY PICKs

Whether your little ones are years getting a driver license or you’re choosing a car for your teenager, researching car safety ratings, features and options before buying a car is a smart move for every family. To that end, it’s the best way to keep your family as safe as possible.

Large pickups

Guest blogger Bryan MacMurray writes for Personal Injury Help,an organization dedicated to providing the public with information about personal injury and safety information. Find out more about them at www.personalinjury-law.com.

Information in this article does not constitute legal advice or opinion, and is intended for informational use only.

[…] search for a new car started with something big and roomy. We also wanted it to meet high safety standards and get good mileage. Lastly, we hoped to find one with the latest tech built in but is not too […]

[…] might consider when at the dealership. Normally, you might first think about car brands, models, safety, technology features, size and, of course, price. The car warranty is something most people think […]